Fuel Cell Energy: The Future of Data Centers
Reducing your carbon footprint while remaining energy efficient is becoming a must for data centers. Fuel cell energy, an alternative to traditional diesel power, is a great source to power your ever-growing data centers in a sustainable way. With these facilities using more power every year while adding to greenhouse gas emissions, switching to sustainable and reliable fuel cell energy is the way to go.
Understanding Fuel Cell Energy
Fuel cell energy produces electricity via chemical reactions from a fuel source and oxygen. Hydrogen is the most sustainable fuel source since the only effects of using it are water and heat instead of harmful chemicals like carbon. However, presently hydrogen needs to be produced in one area and then transported to where it’s being used, making it impractical for the primary energy source of data centers. It is possible though to use this type of fuel cell energy as a backup power source.
There are two main types of fuel cells that can be used to power data centers: Proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). While both types use hydrogen, they vary in how they work, making each better suited for different uses. PEM fuel cells for example only need hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and can operate at lower temperatures. This means they can start and stop faster, making them a convenient backup option.
SOFCs on the other hand can use a wide variety of input fuels like natural gas or pure hydrogen. They are also extremely efficient and able to capture and reuse heat generated during operation. These fuel cells do require higher temperatures to work though, resulting in slower start and stop responses. This makes them better suited for continuous duty applications that don’t need to be turned on or shut down instantly.
Benefits of Fuel Cell Energy
Whether they are being used as a backup solution or a continuous power supply, fuel cell energy reliably serves data centers which helps reduce downtime. As long as their fuel is provided, these cells won’t run down or need recharging like traditional battery solutions.
These fuel cell solutions also improve your data center’s sustainability by lowering its carbon footprint. Not only does this help your data center meet corporate sustainability goals but it also increases the potential for zero-emission data centers. The more we use and learn about fuel cell energy the more likely we are to discover ways to improve it and implement it into future data centers completely.
Integration with UPS Systems
One major concern about fuel cells is their slow response times to load changes. These create transients and ultimately require a way to dissipate excess energy. This is where uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems come in. Configuring the fuel cells to the UPS’ lithium-ion batteries allows the excess energy to be stored in the battery system. Now, when an outage does occur the batteries are already charged by the fuel cells until the stored energy is used up.
There are a few requirements a data center backup solution needs to have in order to replace your diesel power supply with fuel cell energy. First, your site must have enough trailers to store your hydrogen. According to Vertiv’s white paper on fuel cells, approximately four trailers of hydrogen are needed to provide forty-eight hours of backup power for a one-megawatt facility. PEM fuel cell modules will also need their own storage location. If it’s an external enclosure it needs to be equipped with integrated thermal management, air filtration, and DC output to the UPS and lithium-ion batteries. You also need to have extra battery capacity available to absorb energy dispelled from the fuel cells once the main batteries are fully charged.
Fuel Cell vs. Diesel Solutions
In addition to being a greener option compared to diesel solutions, fuel cell energy is more economical in the long-term. They may be more expensive upfront when purchasing, but they typically require less maintenance, and lower fuel expenses. This leads to much lower operational costs than diesel options.
Fuel cell energy is also scalable, meaning it can be adjusted to meet the changing demands of a growing data center. Diesel power on the other hand is not easily scalable, making it difficult to adapt to increasing energy demands without risk. Not only are fuel cells flexible, but they are also compatible with various renewable energy sources like solar or wind power. Diesel generators don’t have this ability, making it harder for their data centers to become more efficient and sustainable.
Embrace Fuel Cell Energy with the Right UPS System
Fuel cell energy is changing how data centers are powered and how they affect the environment. This type of energy works seamlessly as a backup solution and has the potential to power the entire data center one day with its reliability, scalability, and sustainability. And with the right UPS system, fuel cells further improve their efficiency by storing otherwise wasted energy for later use.
Find the perfect UPS and other Vertiv products with the help of Gwyn Sales Inc.’s team of experts. Contact us today to learn more about data center energy solutions and become efficient and sustainable today!